A computer keyboard has an operational feeling (a keying feeling) that a user's finger senses when a switch of a key that the user has pressed works. The switch of the key gives appropriate reaction force to the finger before the switch works. The reaction force that is suitable for each user has such a merit that fatigue caused by long-term operation is alleviated by making a rhythmical key operation possible and therefore a hardware keyboard that feeds back a certain degree of the keying feeling is desired.
There are several kinds of keying feelings, and the keying feeling preference is different for each user, but the keying feeling of an existing mechanical keyboard that is one of the above-mentioned keying feelings has deep-rooted popularity. On the other hand, thinning of keyboards of late years is accelerated and a plate-shaped keyboard begins to appear on the market. It is quite difficult for the plate-shaped keyboard of this type to feed back a strong keying feeling, and a user who prefers the keying feeling of the mechanical keyboard is not satisfied with the keying feeling of the plate-shaped keyboard.
The keying feeling of a mechanical keyboard is derived from two kinds of reaction force, namely, the reaction force generated by deformation of a mechanism component such as a rubber cup and so forth when a key has been pressed, and the reaction force generated when the mechanism component returns to its original shape when the user intends to take the finger off the pressed key. Therefore, simply giving some kind of feedback when the key has been pressed leaves a sense of dissatisfaction that a feeling of use of the plate-shaped keyboard greatly differs from the behavior of the keying feeling of the mechanical keyboard.
Consequently, it would be preferable to provide a keyboard that can yield a favorable keying feeling to a user.